Apparatus for applying insulation to electric conductors.



PATENTED JULY 23, 1907.

L. W. DOWNES. APPARATUS FORABPLYING INSULATION TO ELECTRIC GQNDUGTORS.

APPLICATION IILED JULY 7, 1904.

qvifucpauo V R teeth. QGear wh l 51, 52 (Fig. 2) on the lower UNITED. STATES .Ql ATENT OFFIGE.

LOUIS W. DOWNES, OF PROVlD ENCEJ RHODE ISLAND.

, srrAns rus FOR APPLYING INS LATION To ELEoTitIo oonnuorons- To allwho nl it may concern: I

Belt kllOWHIllttlJjI, Louis DOWNES, of Providence, Rhode Island,-hai' e invented a new anduseful lmprovenientin Apparatusfor Applying Insulation to Electrical Conductors, which invention is fully set i forth in the following specification.

It is wellknown tht asbestos sliver (better known to thetrad'e as l-owing) or analogous substantially untwisted strands of asbestos are extremely delicate and weak, possessing'llardly enough tenacity'to support their own weight, even inrelatively short lengths. A slight strain or pull will cause them to break. For this reason it is difficult to successfully spirally wind asbestos in sliver'or analogol'is'forin upon an electric conductor,

but there are advantages in applying it in the form .of sliver rather than in the form of yarn. The invention consists of an appal'atusfor spirally winding asbestos in sliver or analogous fornrsubstantially without twist on aconductor, the principal obcompanion application iiled July.7, 1904, Serial Number 215,694.

The conductor or wire 20, after receiving a coating of adhesive material, such as shellac, by passing through a receptacle (not shown) containing said ma 'terial, passes upward through the hollow axle 28 and the carrier 0, in which latter it receives acovering of fibrous-insulating material. The mechanism fo'r applyingtheasbestos to the wire is mounted in orupon and rotates with the carrier. The carrier, 0 comprises a plate or table 31, which turns loosely upon the upper extremity of axle 28; also a cup-like casing 32 having a central sleeve 33'which fits loosely about and turns on axle 28. Axle 28 is fixed to a part 29 of the machine-frame by a nut Gear 27 fixed to sleeve 33 is driven by suitable connections (notshown) to rotate the carrier.

Four short vertical shafts 34,35, 36 and 37 are journaled in and project above and below table 31. Rolls or wheels 40 and 41 having their surfaces covered with card clothing are secured; on the upper ends of shafts 35 and 36 by nuts 37. Pulleys or rollers 43 and 44, the

former secured to the upper end of shaft 34, the latter turning on a stud 38, are connected by an endless conveyer or. belt39 having its outer surface covered with Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented. July 23, 119072-- Application filed July 7,1904. Serial No. 2151695.

ends or shafts 34, 35 and 36, are driven by a fixed gear 53 (preferably formed integral with axle 28), as'tlle carrier rotates; movement in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 3, is thereby imparted. to carding rollers 40' and 41 and conveyor 39. The movement of belt 39 on multaneous'with the rotation of the carrier around the non-rotalillg wire is of importance in effecting practi -cally a continuous spiral winding o'r wrapping of the fibers upon the longitudinally moving wire. The linear movement of the L'll'l'tl belt continuously advances carried around the wire by rotation of the carrier.

The following means serve tofeed the asbestos sliver or .untwisted sir-and to the carding at one end in abrackel 7-1 on table 31 andat its other end in a bearing on the inner surface of a shell 61, which latter with its cover (32 i'nclo'ses the mechanism on1the carrier above the table. All elongated pinion .iiber-bearing p rtions thereof to the wire as tlle belt is roll and without exerting any pull thereupon. T0 is a shaft journaled 72 on shaft 70 meshes with a gear wheel 73 fixed ,to a I longitudinal feed ln'ovclnent to the spool as it 'is turned by pinion 72. Shaft-T0 is rotated by gear 53 meshing with gear SO'on the lower end of shaft 37, worm 81 (Fig. 3) on the upper end of shaft 37 worm-1 wheel 82, gears 83, 84, sprocket wheel 85, chain 86 and sprocket wheel 87.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The wire 20 fed longitudinally in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, passes into the rotating carrier C coated withadhesive material. From the spool the end of the asbestos sliver or strand passes between the carding rolls 40 and 41. The teeth of roll 41 are preferably straight, while those of roll 40 are inclined; the fibrous material consequently adheres to the latter, from which it is picked up by the teeth of conveyor or belt 39, (the surface speed of which is preferably faster than that of roll 40), and carried forward into contact with the sticky surface of the wire to which it adheres or is -to thewi're; Rotation of the carrier also rotates the spool to unwind the sliver therefrom and slowly moves the spool to the left, so that the distance between the point where the sliver or strand leaves the spool and the point of its' entry between the carding rolls is at all times approximately the same. These movements of the spool or holder together with the feeding movements of the rolls and 'belt, relieve the delicate weak sliver of pull which tends to break or separate the same. To recharge thesliver spool or holder, bolt 76 is disengaged from the-endoi shat't75, the latter swung example; the apparatus of my Patent No. 534,785 of I February 26, 1 895. T The covering may be impregnated with any suitable fire-proofing and water proob ing composition. One or more layers of asbestos may be applied according to the thickness otinsulation desired.

What is claimed is: I 3:" 1. In apparatus for applying fibrous insulating material to a conductor the combination of a carrier and means for rotating-the some about the conductoiy a spool or holder mounted on the carrier and adapted to hold a coiled strand of iibrous insulating material, means'operating during rotation of the carrier for rotating the spool on its axis to unwind the strand and for simultaneously imparting another feed movement to the spool to enable the strand to be continuously disengaged an line spool always at approximately the same distance from its point of applicw tiun to the conductor.

.5; ln apparatus for applying fibrous insulating material to a conductor, the combination of a carrier and means for rotating the same about the conductor,- a spool or holder mounted-on the carrier and adapted to hold a coiled strand of fibrous insulating material, meansoperating during ro' tatiun'of the carrier for rotating the spool on'its axis to unwind the strand and for simultaneously imparting a longitudinal axlalT-iee'd movement to the spool to enable the strand to be continuously disengaged from the spool always 861,091 V i" l at approximately the same distance from its point of application to the conductor. 5 4

in apparatus for applying fibrous insulating material to a conductor, the combination offla carrier and means for rotating the same about the conductor, a shaft mounted on the carrier, a spool or holder adapted to hold a coiled strand of fibrous insulating material and having screwthread engagement with and rotatable on and'movabie along the shaft, and driving connections for rotating the spool. during rotation of the carrier thereby unwinding the strand from the spool and simultaneously moving the latter along the shaft to continuously disengage the strandfrom the spool always at approximately the same distancefrom its point of application to the conductor.

4. in apparatus for applying flbrous insulating material to a conductor, the combination of a carrier and means for rotating the same about the conductor, a spool or holder mounted on the carrier and adapted to hold a coiled strand f of fibrous insulating material, carding rolls and a feedb'elt rotatably mounted on the carrier and adapted to continu -ously convey the strand from the spool and deliver the" same into contact with the surface of the conductor, con- I nections for driving said rolls and belt during rotation of the carrier, and other connections operating during rotation of the carrier for rotating the spool to unwind the strand and for simultaneously moving the spool toward the point where the strand enters between the carding'rulls.

5. in apparatus for applying iibrousinsulatlng material to a conductor, the combination ofa carrier and means for 'rotating thesame about the conductor. a. spool or holder mounted on the carrier and adapted to hold a coiled strand of iibrous insulating material, a carding surface mounted on the carrier and adapted to feed the fibrous strand to the surface of the conductor; and driving connections for advancing said carding surface on its hearings on the carrier during rotation of the latter to present fiber-hearing per tious of said surface to the surface of the conductor.

in testimony whereof I have signed this specification in James H. Trwns'rov, NELHE G. Biuonnr. 

